


The Best Things in Life

by andthestarsthatshine



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-09
Updated: 2013-12-09
Packaged: 2018-01-04 04:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1076474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andthestarsthatshine/pseuds/andthestarsthatshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a super fluffy future fic with established Dandy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Things in Life

'Daddy! Come teach me that piano song! We need to practice!' 

Danny was sitting on the couch reading a book when Annabelle, his five year old daughter, came bounding up to him. She had the same optimistic spirit as her mother and he smiled broadly at her as she climbed on to the couch beside him.

He closed his book and pretended to think about it, putting a finger on his chin in an overexaggerated manner. 'Hmm. Let's see.'

'Please, Daddy! Pleeeease! We have to get it right!' Annabelle started tugging at his shirt.

He smiled again at her persistence. Just like her mother. 'Ok then, Anna. Let's do it!' 

He lifted her up, causing her to squeal in delight, and carried her over to the piano, sitting her down on the stool before sliding in next to her. 

'I'm right! I'm right!' Annabelle cried excitedly.

Danny smiled down at her again. 'Ok, honey. Are you sure?'

'Yes. I'm always right. Duh!' As much as he hated the fact that Mindy taught her to say 'duh' every time he said something stupid, he couldn't help but smile every time it happened. It warmed his heart seeing his daughter have such self-confidence, even if he feared that three stubborn souls under one roof may well be a recipe for disaster. _  
_

'That you are.' He leaned down to kiss her on the top of her head. 'Ok, let's start from the beginning!'

They both pressed at the keys, both of them sounding quite chaotic together.

'Daddy! You're doing it wrong!'

'Oh? Maybe if you could teach me?'

In any other situation, Danny would have been embarrassed that a five year old was better at playing the piano than he was but with his daughter he felt nothing but pride swell in his chest. Mindy teased him mercilessly for it but he didn't care. He was too proud to care that he was so obviously lacking in skills here. There used to be a time not so long ago where he would have thrown a tantrum and stormed off or got defensive but that all changed the minute he held his daughter in his arms and looked down in awe at how she had stolen his heart the first time he laid eyes on her.

Seeing Annabelle so enthusiastic about teaching Danny how to play the piano, he couldn't help but grin at her. Half the time he just pretended to not know what he was doing just to see her face light up as she tried to teach him.

'Yeah! I can teach you, Daddy!'

'Ok!'

So she helped him along, learning the right notes to play at the right time and she looked up at him proudly. 'You did good, Daddy!' She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. 'But I need to watch TV. It's 5 o'clock.'

'Not even five more minutes?'

'Daddy, no! It has to be 5 o'clock. Not 5.01, not 5.02, not 5.03. 5 o'clock, ok?'

Danny chuckled softly. While she had Mindy's need to religiously watch certain TV shows, she had sure gained his need to always be on time.

* * *

Mindy walked in to their home at 6pm, having just spent the day with Gwen, and she plopped down on the couch, exhausted with all the shopping she had obviously done.

Danny came up to her, a cup of tea in hand, and gave her a quick peck on the lips before sitting down next to her, his own drink in hand. 

'Hi,' she said softly, smiling at him.

'Hi yourself,' he matched her smile and leaned in for another kiss.

Annabelle squeezed herself in between the two, wanting to be the centre of their attention again.

'Hi Belle! Have you been good for Daddy?' Mindy smiled down at her.

'I'm always good. Duh!' Annabelle looked up at Mindy with a cheeky grin that reminded her of Danny. 

'You want to see what I got you?'

'Yeah!'

Danny shook his head at the two of them, knowing they'll both be consumed with whatever Mindy had bought, so he quickly sneaked away (the last time he stayed, he fell asleep only to awake with make-up all over his face) and got started on dinner.

* * *

'Min?' Danny poked his head into their bedroom. 'You coming down? Annabelle's really excited about your gift!'

'Ooh! I love surprises! Just give me two minutes!'

Danny shook his head with a smile, knowing that she would take far longer than that and made his way downstairs.

Mindy came down a little while later to find Danny and Annabelle sitting side by side at the piano.

'What's going on?' she asked curiously.

'It's your birthday present!' Annabelle shouted with a big grin on her face before turning to Danny and giving him a nod. With that they both started playing the piano just as they had practised. She recognised quite clearly the sounds of Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are. The same song they had both danced to together as a couple. It was far from perfect but it warmed Mindy's heart, the image of those two grinning widely as they played for her. She thought of the amount of hours that must have gone into it and wondered how they had managed to find the time without her knowing.

She didn't think it could get any better when Danny started singing. She knew the lyrics well by now and she smiled, willing away the tears in her eyes. 

She smiled as Danny and Annabelle high fived when they were done and looked up at Mindy with matching proud smiles, expectant looks on their faces.

'That was beautiful!' she said, clapping her hands to her chest, beaming at the two of them.

Sometimes the best things in life didn't cost anything.


End file.
